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Who do you trust on ethanol?
As California hammers out its Low Carbon Fuel Standard, getting the science right on biofuels is no easy task
Andrew Leonard [2008-01-24]

  • I don't get ethanol

    Please explain why it's a superior fuel.

    Here's what I remember from primary school: Corn is a tough plant to grow, in that it's a huge nutrient drain on the soil, compared to other plants, no? (Isn't that why Squanto taught the Pilgrims to plant heir corn with fish heads?) So, growing corn commercially (whether for human consumption, animal feed, or fuel) requires huge amounts of fertilizers. Which are petroleum-based, so we are still dependent on black gold (black crack?).

    Here's what I see today: I live in CT, where because of ozone levels, we switch over to ethanol-blended gasoline in he summer months. Because this is subsidized, we are taxed a few cents a gallon. But, I've never noticed my car getting better mileage on the ethanol-blend, or performing better. And, since ethanol releases greater quantities of nitrogen oxides, it doesn't seem to diminish the ozone problem.

    But I hear a few folks in Iowa are happy.

    -- Juliebird
    [Read Juliebird's other letters]
    Thursday, January 24, 2008 05:31 PM
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